It's one thing to be excited about facing a ranked opponent on the road, as Cal is for Saturday's game with No. 12 Ohio State before 105,000 spectators.

It's another to be prepared for such an encounter.

Cal linebacker Robert Mullins is choosing preparation over excitement, or at least he said as much earlier in the week. He hadn't set foot in mammoth Ohio Stadium yet.

"Hoo-rah never got me a tackle," he said. "It never got anyone a tackle. Be excited, be very excited, but understand what's important. What's important is our consistency. It might be a little extra motivation for some guys. I'm self-motivated. It has no influence on my preparation."

Mullins, a fifth-year senior, could be an important player for the Bears on Saturday from his inside linebacker position. He'll likely have his eye on Braxton Miller for much of the day, given the quarterback's penchant for running with the ball in Ohio State's spread option offense.

Like all Urban Meyer-coached quarterbacks, Miller is a good athlete, first and foremost. The sophomore has a nice balance of size (6-foot-2, 220 pounds) and speed and is a competent passer as well.

Miller is far and away the Buckeyes' leading rusher after two games with 44 carries for 302 yards and four touchdowns; he had 27 rushes for 141 yards and three touchdowns a week ago against Central Florida. Miller has also passed for 362 yards and three touchdowns for 2-0 Ohio State.

"He's a big guy; one hit is not going to bring him down," Mullins said. "Any time you have a dynamic quarterback like that, you have to be disciplined. You can't lose contain. From looking at film, it looks like his first priority is to run. We have to be smart as a defense. We know this guy is a dynamic guy. We have to rally to the ball."

Mullins compared Miller athletically to former Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who destroyed the Bears with his running and passing in a 2010 game in Reno.

The Bears had trouble with Kaepernick's successor, Cody Fajardo, two weeks ago when Nevada ruined Cal's return to Memorial Stadium. Fajardo completed 25 of 32 passes for 230 yards and rushed 21 times for 97 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown gallop in which the defense lost containment.

All of which does not bode well for Cal in Saturday's game, unless the defense learns from its mistakes of the past in dealing with dual-threat quarterbacks.

"You have to account for both," coach Jeff Tedford said. "He's a big threat when it comes to running the football. He's physical and he's fast. He's like a running back. You have to keep someone accountable for the quarterback."

Like Mullins, maybe, or fellow inside linebacker J.P. Hurrell or safety Josh Hill. In the Nevada game, Hill was responsible for Fajardo on the 49-yard touchdown run, but he was taken out on a crackback block by a receiver and his teammates could not catch him.

"This could be a turning point in the season," Hill said. "We know we're not favored, especially with the loss to Nevada and the slow start against Southern Utah. We know our backs are to the wall and we have to come out fighting for four quarters. Across the board, we know we can match up, especially on defense."

As for Miller specifically, Hill said, "Their quarterback likes to run. If we contain him, we should have a good chance of winning."

That might even elicit a hoo-rah from Mullins.

Cal vs. Ohio State

Who: Cal (1-1, 0-0 Pac-12) at No. 12 Ohio State (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten)

Where: Columbus, Ohio

When: 9 a.m.

TV/Radio: Channel: 7 Channel: 10 /810

Story line: It's Cal's first game against Ohio State in 40 years, and it's been 90 years since a Cal team defeated Ohio State. Fans are already disillusioned with this team after a loss to Nevada and a humdrum win over Southern Utah. As a decided underdog against the nation's No. 12 team, the Bears have an extremely remote shot at gaining national respect with a win.

What to watch for

-- After getting burned by fleet, option quarterbacks of late, can Cal defenders keep fleet, spread-option quarterback Braxton Miller in check? In two games Miller has already rushed 44 times for 302 yards and four touchdowns. He's also passed for three touchdowns.

-- How will the Bears handle playing a ranked team before 105,000 fans? Will the experience inspire them or intimidate them? After starting slow in two home games, there's nothing to suggest Cal is ready for this kind of setting on the road.

-- Cal needs a steady, well managed game from quarterback Zach Maynard to have any chance of competing with Ohio State. That means a clean game from him, with no interceptions or fumbles. That's asking a lot.